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They found Phillip and Topher having zero luck talking to a group of girls by the bar

"Hey, y’all," Hayden said, approaching his friends

"Lane," Topher said with a brief nod in their direction before returning to his conversation with the girl

Phillip turned and then acted as if he was trying to see behind the his eyebrows

"She’s not here," Hayden said, shaking his head

"What? Why not? I thought you said she was co Hayden fro up with soet drinks before he starts talking about her" Hayden slid his hand around her waist and guided her toward an open space at the bar

One of the perky blond bartenders cahtly at Hayden and gave him sex eyes Liz wondered whether that was how she earned her tips or if it was specifically for Hayden

He looked good tonight in navy shorts with a gray-and-white striped button-down, a thick brown belt, andbrown Sperrys Laid-back preppy, like norine hiht?" Hayden asked Liz, still nothis hand from the small of her back

How did he remember that? she wondered

"Perfect Thanks," Liz responded She leaned her elbows against the bar

"A whiskey sour and a Maker’s and Coke," Hayden ordered He handed the bartender his credit card "You can leave it open"

"Sure thing," the bartender said, winking at hiirl started lad you decided to come visit this weekend," he said with that sa as they looked down at her

"Me too I’ve had a really good tih

"You wanted to get away frouy, you know," he said, blowing it off as if it was nothing

"Yeah, just so her eyes "I’d never even "

"Nope You’re a bit of a stalker, Liz"

"Oh, you know, it’s what I do in my spare time Actually, it’s kind of -tiasped "I had no clue"

"Here you go, hon," the bartender said, reappearing with their drinks and sliding the else?"

Topher and Phillip appeared behind Hayden at that morabbed onto hi!" Hayden called

Liz’s body was flush against Hayden’s, and when he looked down at her, she blushed and pulled away

"We’re going to need," Phillip said, and started counting the people, "six shots of SoCo Got to do it right for my buddy from the Carolinas"

"There are only four of us," Hayden observed

Topher nudged Hayden; he had his arail"

Liz shook her head at the display The girls barely acknowledged theirls would ditch them after they took the shots

"Six shots of SoCo," Phillip said, passing around glasses as the bartender handed them to him "Hope you don’t mind, Lane, but I put this on your tab"

"That’s like fifty bucks," Hayden said, exasperated

"Better you than lass in the air drahts you’ll never reroup all cheered and clinked their shots together Liz tilted her head back and let the liquor slide down the back of her throat in one swift motion She closed her eyes and shook her head Potent

"Aweso his drink back on the bar

"We’re uh…going to go dance," one of the girls said with a shrug

"Yeah, thanks for the drink," the second one said, already atte already?" Phillip asked, walking with thehed as Topher trailed after theuys don’t give up easy," Hayden told her "The girls will give up fighting it before they do"

They picked up their drinks and followed the guys back to where they were chatting up Anne, Abigail, and their friends The girls all started dancing together to the rhythirls at home who used this as a defense so they didn’t have to dance with certain guys Phillip and Topher stood and watched theirls to dance with each of theuys she knew, but still

The dance floor filled up as the alcohol flowed, and soon even Liz found herself dancing with the group of girls She could only reail The rest of the girls blended together and really it didn’t ot about everything that was frustrating and confusing about her summer and lived in the dance